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What has got into the Saudis? Their unprecedented decision not to take the Security Council seat, and their angst over Western policy towards Syria and what some in Riyadh perceive as a mating dance between the US and Iran, have sent a strong signal of unease

Three years ago, Hosni Mubarak, President of Egypt, stepped down amid historic protests against his dictatorial rule. His resignation marked the climax of an uprising that was quickly recognized as one of the most significant upheavals of the 21st century

This is probably, but not certainly, the year that sees the end to the United States' three-decades-long effort to establish permanent American strategic bases in the Muslim Middle East. The American departure will leave behind much carnage and ruin

What was believed by Americans to be the omnipotence of the U.S. in the Greater Middle East is today being replaced by a fear that the United States not only has decisively lost its power, but is also responsible for why everything seems to be going wrong

The Washington Post and New York Times had the same front-page headlines recently. Both had to do with the 'Power Void' in the Middle East, deploring that America's decade of attempting to create a new order in the region now is blowing up in its face

The Iraqi army has had to scramble to regain control over of the once-liberated Anbar province against the latest incarnation of the al-Qaida terrorist menace. Not surprisingly, the call has gone out for the U.S. to come running to the rescue again

What's the point of intervening in a foreign country under the guise of humanitarianism, or sending aid, if you're just going to end up importing its citizens en masse anyway? Isn't the whole idea to shape up the place so that its people can safely remain there?

Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood claim that it was leading an attack on Egypt's authoritarian regime when it was stopped in its tracks. This is fiction. The Brotherhood's ambition was simply to replace the old ruling party at the pinnacle of power

If there is a nation that can successfully convince the Arabs, the Jews and the Persians to sit down simultaneously for a talk, it can only be the Chinese. With immense economic interests, China is both eager and able to lay the table

As in the 1940s in Palestine, some opposition recruits have gone to Syria motivated by extremist ideologies and with the intention to commit acts of terrorism. But most have more prosaic reasons for fighting

Mother Agnes-Mariam Warns that Islamic extremists undermine peace prospects in Syria. Her analysis of conditions on the ground in Syria is far more nuanced than those of the mainstream media in the United States

After months of commendable restraint, President Barack Obama has decided to send weapons to the besieged Syrian rebels. This is either a bid to overthrow a friend of Iran or a ploy to capture Syria's oil. Or both. Sound familiar? It should

Three days before the coup that removed Mohamed Morsi from the presidency, I marched with tens of thousands of Egyptians to the presidential palace. A sea of protesters had filled Cairo's streets, waving flags and chanting for the downfall of the regime

Can the former opposition avoid the fragmentation that played a significant role in catapulting the Muslim Brotherhood to power in the first place? There are many challenges to overcome, not the least of which is that the military ultimately holds the keys to power

In the short term, the Muslim Brotherhood will continue to denounce the coup and engage in protests Eventually, however, the group will try to revive itself by re-assimilating into Egypt's political institutions, though it is in no hurry to attempt to reclaim the presidency

While president of Egypt, Mohammed Morsi was the world's only democratically elected leader to motivate over 20 million of his people, one-quarter of the population, to sign a petition calling for his ouster. So why has the United States been so doggedly supporting Morsi?

The Middle East is becoming irrelevant. The discovery of enormous new oil and gas reserves along with new oil-recovery technology is steadily curbing the demand for Middle Eastern oil. Soon, Saudi Arabia and Iran are going to have less geostrategic clout

For so many years, Iran has been a popular neighbor among most Arab states, largely because of its unremitting hostility toward Israel and the West. But now, the tables have turned. Iran has lost the friendship and support of almost every Arab and Muslim state

The Washington Post editorial: 'No time for half-measures: Syria's rebels need a robust intervention.' The New York Times: 'After Arming the Rebels, Then What? President should be careful about being dragged into brutal Syrian war.' I'm on the side of the Times

The Iraqi state, post-Saddam and post-US occupation, struggles to hold together even on a good day. But events in Syria are testing its resilience more than any shock since the country was carved out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire

Six years ago Iraq faced its own civil war, but managed to pull itself back from the brink. Now Syria threatens to unravel its politics once again, as competing Iraqi factions are tempted to support opposing sides in the Syrian conflict

Syria savaged by civil war, shows increasing signs of national breakdown. The regime of President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus is no longer in control of considerable swaths of the country. Like other Arab states, Syria is barely a century old

The Syrian war is spreading fast, engulfing all of its Middle East neighbors and risking even larger conflicts, while leaving the pertinent question: What's to be done before the region explodes? So what should the United States and Russia do now?

If there was a moment when the United States could have productively intervened in Syria, it looks like that moment has passed. Shiite militants, including Hezbollah -- partly at the behest of their paymasters in Iran -- are racing to the defense of Bashar Assad's regime

The war that was supposed to follow the Cold War, according to the late Samuel Huntington, was to be a war between civilizations, with Islam and China improbably allied against what Huntington called Western Civilization, by which he meant the United States

Theodore Roosevelt famously advised that America should 'speak softly and carry a big stick.' President Obama, in his approach to the civil war mayhem in Syria, has got it about half right. Nevertheless, speaking softly about his intent has come much too late

The current argument is over intervention in the Syrian civil war. But to what American purpose? As always, democracy promotion, Washington says. Is this either politically or militarily feasible in Syria today? What relevance has this to America's terrorist threat?

In an alternate history, the Egyptian monarchy would not have been deposed in June 1953 and King Farouk would not have gone into exile. Nasser would be a footnote to history. But if this had come to pass would Egyptian history have been dramatically different?

In what could prove to be a historic day for Turkey and the decades-old Kurdish issue, fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) started withdrawing from Turkish soil and returning to bases in the mountains of northern Iraq

The Americans and Europeans have had no appetite for intervention in Syria. At the same time, they have not wanted to be in a position where intervention was simply ruled out. As such, they identified the use of chemical weapons as a redline

Obama's recent announcement that he believes Syria has used chemical weapons ignited a debate. Has the Assad regime crossed the 'red line' the White House laid down? But politicians seem more concerned about credibility than suffering Syrians. So what's next?

Why did Salam Fayyad recently resign as Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority? Nathan Thrall explores the factors that led to his departure, including the challenges of holding a position widely backed by Western powers but only weakly supported by Palestinians

The present crisis with North Korea offers us a glimpse of what, and what not, to expect should Iran get the bomb. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would gain the attention currently being paid to Kim Jong-un -- similarly not otherwise earned by his nation's economy or cultural influence

Iran's attitude to population control has see-sawed over the past fifty years as strategic and political imperatives have changed. Currently, financial incentives and housing concessions have now been reinstated for large families

A recent Gallup poll says that 99% of the American public now has become convinced that Iran's civilian nuclear program will threaten 'the vital interests of the United States in the next ten years.' 83% say this will be 'a critical threat.' Why?

The central problem behind Egypt's problems is its president, Mohamed Morsi. He quite obviously has no idea what he's doing. The brotherhood hadn't governed anything of consequence -- certainly not a fractious nation of 82 million people

Is Saudi Arabia synonymous with status quo'ism and Iran with revolution? This contrast may now have to be adjusted. The Arab Spring has introduced new political variables that Riyadh and Tehran must account for while pursuing their competing priorities

Iran's regional status has been compromised by the Arab Spring, ongoing civil unrest in Syria and continued tensions over its nuclear program. Indeed, Tehran could soon find itself regionally isolated to a degree that is unprecedented in its recent history

Syria is fast becoming the new Somalia -- a nation whose central government wields little control over the bulk of the country while feuding sects and gangs fight each other as well as the thoroughly discredited president, Bashar al-Assad

As Syria's civil war enters its third year, the country's humanitarian crisis worsens each day. Unless a tactical shift in the balance of power occurs, it is unlikely that either the regime or the rebels will gain control of Syria's entire territory

When an important opposition leader hints that a military coup might be preferable to the current chaos, and when a major financial organization proposes an economic program certain to spark a social explosion, something is afoot

The 10th anniversary of the American invasion of Iraq seems an appropriate time to look back at how it all happened and what it has wrought, not so much for Iraq as for the United States, which poured its own troops, treasure and world reputation into that colossal misadventure

We've lost a war without being able to surrender -- and thus divest ourselves of the consciousness that got us into it. We are unable to look honestly at what we did and why, and determine not to do it again. Ten years later, how do we get the poison out of our system?

Secretary of State John Kerry says there is a 'finite amount of time' for talks on Iran's nuclear program. Kerry made the warning during talks with Gulf Arab leaders, as he continues his first overseas trip as America's top diplomat

The leader of one of the most popular political parties in Tunisia says his model for the development of democracy in the Muslim world is Turkey. Experts debate whether secularism could take root in countries like Egypt or Tunisia

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak says Iran's nuclear program is the biggest challenge facing Israel, the Middle East and the world, and that 'all options' remain open to addressing possible atomic weapons development

The U.S. assessment seems to be that there is not enough 'blowback' to its counterterrorism operations to warrant a policy shift. But for many Yemenis, America's shadow war is out of step with their aspirations for democracy and the rule of law

Military interventions by powerful nations into lesser ones, such as now continues in Mali (and Afghanistan), and is being urged by many into the Syrian civil war, are inherently reckless since even the most powerful states can have the whole project blow up on them

Salima Hamid jerked her hips to the musical chants as the older male youths clapped their hands. Behind them in the crowd, Amal Nuran and her head-scarf-covered friends exchanged pictures snapped at the day's anti-regime rally

There has been so much change in Egypt in the past two years, it is sometimes hard to remember how little there was for so long. Hosni Mubarak's near 30-year rule was a weight that seemed, to many, impossible to lift

Iran says it is prepared to return to talks with major world powers over its nuclear program. As Iran's uranium enrichment program continues, Western countries have tightened economic sanctions against Tehran

The loosening of the grip of the old order is taking place partly because of mortality. Within five weeks in the summer, three of the pillars of the 20th century Arab security state system passed away in quick succession

The West Bank has been calm in recent years, but significant protests have been taking place across the eastern Palestinian territory. These developments have implications in Jordan, where the regime of King Abdullah II is also struggling with political unrest

The strategic environment during the 2008-2009 Operation Cast Lead was vastly different from the one Israel faces in today's Operation Pillar of Defense. To understand the evolution in regional dynamics, we must return to 2006

The Gaza conflict comes at an interesting time in Egyptian-Israeli relations. Cairo recently saw the Muslim Brotherhood candidate assume the Egyptian presidency, while in the past two years Israel has approved Egyptian military increases in the Sinai Peninsula

Iran needed a distraction from the conflict in Syria. It now has that, at least temporarily. Iran also needed to revise its relationship with Hamas and demonstrate that it retains leverage through militant groups in the Palestinian territories

The Syrian crisis poses problems not only for refugees. The host states themselves are wary of the social, economic and political pressures their new guests have brought. Here we look at the effects on Jordan and Turkey

When the United States and its allies began imposing sanctions on Iran to persuade its leaders to reconsider their policy toward its nuclear program, they promised the world that the sanctions would be 'smart' and 'targeted'

The legacy of tradition will not guarantee that sovereigns are immune forever. One of the lessons of the Arab awakenings has been that a heavy-handed state response to protests can lead to an escalation in protesters' demands

Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have never been friendly. But then Netanyahu openly supported Mitt Romney for president, the first time an Israeli prime minister has so publicly taken sides

'Responsibility to Protect' is a doctrine which aims to end impunity for the perpetrators of atrocities such as those being committed in Syria. Gareth Evans, explains why the UN is now powerless to stop the bloodshed, and offers ideas on restoring consensus

As evidenced by the assassinations in Beirut, any type of protective security program can be defeated if it allows potential attackers to operate freely against it. The solution lies in denying potential attackers that advantage

When the United States and its allies began imposing sanctions on Iran to persuade its leaders to reconsider their policy toward its nuclear program, they promised the world that the sanctions would be 'smart' and 'targeted'

The Obama administration has authorized covert support of rebel groups, with the goal of destabilizing al-Assad. The interesting consequence is that al-Qaeda is among the groups the directive now supports

King Abdullah II of Jordan has stepped in to stop the government from imposing an increase on gasoline prices, a move apparently aimed at easing growing public discontent over the government's economic policy

One potential geopolitical consequence has garnered a great deal of media attention in recent days: the possibility of the al Assad regime in Syria regime losing control of its chemical weapons stockpile

Amid all the stories about the ongoing violence in Syria, the most disturbing is the possibility that Syrian President Bashar Assad could either deploy chemical and biological weapons, or provide it to terrorists

Located in southern Tel Aviv, Hatikva was the site of the worst race riots since Israel's founding. Egged on by Likud Party politicians, local Jewish residents brutally assaulted migrants and looted their stores

Israelis are known for their gregarious behavior and love nothing more than spending time with their group of close friends. It's a trait that is wreaking havoc among the quickly mushrooming singles population

In an effort to broaden its appeal among Syria's diverse ethnic groups, the largest Syrian opposition group has selected a Kurd as its new leader. But it is not yet clear whether it will be enough to convince Kurdish political parties to be more defiant against President Bashar Al-Assad's regime

After the Syrian downing of a Turkish air force jet, some things are becoming clear. Turkey, while refraining from doing anything rash and doing all it can to get international and NATO backing for its diplomatic efforts, is also leaving itself with a military option for responding to Syria's action

When Syria shot down an Israeli-upgraded Turkish fighter jet it was delivering a message that the air force, despite the defection of a senior pilot a day earlier, was still in control and a force to be reckoned with

It was hoped that the Arab Spring would bring freedom and democracy to the Middle East and North Africa. However, continued unrest in Libya and Syria points to a potentially bleaker future for the region

Insurgent forces have been forced to withdraw from territories they once held. Loss of territory will not mean an end to insurgent forces. The reason for this rests in the very nature of insurgent warfare

Whatever may be the eventual outcome in Syria, there is no denying the fact that for all practical purposes the dream of establishing democracy and the rule of law and the institution of human rights in the Arab World is almost over

We have seen Tuareg militants, previously employed by the regime of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, leave Libya with sizable stockpiles of weapons and returning to northern Mali, where they have successfully wrested control of the region away from the Malian government

Nearly three months after Egyptian authorities arrested three Iranians, the legal advisor of the Saudi Arabian embassy disclosed that Egypt had foiled a plot to assassinate Saudi ambassador to Cairo Ahmed Qattan

Declassified letters written by former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, discovered in his hideout in Pakistan where he was killed one year ago, reveal details about the organisation's inner workings and the backlash it suffered as a result of targeting civilians

Social media has been a boon for democratization forces around the world. But a recent tragedy in Turkey helps highlights the fact that social media also has a potentially dark side for democratization efforts

Living and working on the edges of Israel's Start-Up Nation, Palestinian and Israeli Arab high tech entrepreneurs are trying their hand getting companies aloft by leveraging their closeness to Israel's technology juggernaut and the low cost of Palestinian engineers

The task of writing Egypt's new constitution will be in the sole hands of the Islamists after liberals and leftists said they were opting out of a process they say is destined to be dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists

Thus doth Israel project its own sins onto Iran. To play armchair psychoanalyst, it's as if by forcing Iran to admit that it tried to develop nuclear weapons, Israel will absolve itself of its nuclear lies

The millions of Syrians, the appalled majority, have had their voice stolen by the absence of journalists. It is their word that is the most powerful in reminding the world of what is truly being lost in Syria's post-revolutionary war

Zbigniew Brzezinski -- the US National Security Adviser to President Carter -- in an interview with Alan Philps, who helped broker the Camp David Accords, discusses the Middle East, Syria, Iran and Israel

The interim agreement with Iran not only paves the way for a conclusion to the decade-long Iranian nuclear impasse, but also for a gradual rapprochement between Iran and the United States after more than three decades of hostile relations

When the Egyptian military ended Egypt's first ever-ever democratic experience, toppling the Muslim Brotherhood and imprisoning President Morsi, Egypt perhaps became the only country in the world that had a revolution against democracy

Benjamin Netanyahu wants negotiations with the Palestinians to continue for decades to come. But the Palestinian leadership would be foolish to continue. It's time to find other means of achieving Palestinian rights and statehood

Egypt's crisis goes much deeper than the recent political chaos. With the leader of the Constitutional Court taking over the presidency, the new government will likely represent a coalition of interests facing many of the same challenges that brought about Mohammed Morsi's downfall

The Arab Spring was an exercise in irony. On the surface, it appeared to be the Arab equivalent of 1989 in Eastern Europe. Looking back on the Arab Spring, it is striking how few personalities were replaced, how few regimes fell, and how much chaos was left in its wake

Was the move to oust Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi tantamount to a military coup? Considering that the Egyptian army forcibly removed a democratically elected president in the wake of unrest, it is indeed a coup. However, it differs from other military coups

If Iran's President-elect Hassan Rouhani can get the clerics behind him and accommodate the interests of Iran's military and security forces and the broader electorate, his chances of reaching a dialogue or negotiated settlement with the West will be much improved

Anti-government protests in Turkey have exposed long-dormant fault lines in the country's complex political landscape. But even as the appeal of Prime Minister Erdogan's ruling party is beginning to erode, it will remain a powerful force in Turkish politics

A great deal has been written about the miserable failure of the Iraq war. Much lost -- 4,500 American lives and $2.2 trillion dollars, 13 percent of the national debt -- and little if anything gained. We traded one despot for another, and now Iraq is on the verge of civil war

To believe the media narrative, the 'Arab Spring' has arrived in yet another Islamic nation -- Turkey this time -- snowballing at record speed. This simplistic explanation might have more merit if Turkey wasn't the staging ground for Western interests in Syria

A now vigorous Turkey, heir of the Ottoman Empire that was the main loser from that 20th century order, is taking a new look at the region. A major change is under way after decades in which Turkish policy was predicated on making the best of what it found in the Middle East

The war in Syria is Russia's to lose. Arguably, it could very well end up being Russia's biggest test as a player on the world stage since the end of the Cold War. The outcome in Syria is largely dependent on Russia's willingness to lead. No doubt it's a strange angle

Now comes the Arab Winter of chaos and growing Islamic authoritarianism. Egypt is a mess, with a wrecked economy and widescale persecution of Coptic minorities. No one knows exactly what happened in Benghazi. More than ever, the stubborn Assad clings to power

What if America's ultimate exit strategy for the Syrian conflict is to have it grind on ad infinitum because there's very little advantage to doing anything else? Increasingly, it's Russia that has the most to lose from the ongoing hostilities in Syria

Before we see another Mediterranean renaissance, constitutional government would have to sweep the Muslim world. The bureaucracy of the European Union would have to reform or disappear. Unfortunately, the Mediterranean is reverting to its stagnant 18th-century past

The Saudi Arabian Justice Ministry boldly declared that the government is finally going to attack a significant national problem: child marriage. It's not uncommon to hear about girls 12 years old or younger being forced to marry men in their 70s or 80s

What is the significance of all this? It reflects the long-standing American (and Israeli) concern that their officers or government figures might one day find themselves before the court on charges of breaking international law or as bearing responsibility for war crimes

Is the complex political system that Ayatollah Khomeini bequeathed to Iran in turmoil? This article considers what this predicament means for the Iranian electorate and external efforts to open up the country's political space

Israel's continued disregard for Palestinians is yet again highlighted in its latest segregation of the region's bus systemâ€"modern day apartheid at its finest. Especially problematic is the fact that the bus system is a public service

Obama's visit to Israel was a great success, but don't expect peace between Israelis and Palestinians anytime soon. So now we may have more cordial relations. But settlements continue to be the main thing blocking any Palestinian peace deal

A day will undoubtedly come when Osama bin Laden will occupy the same place in 21st century history as Gavrilo Princip holds in the history of the 20th Century. Both committed acts that provoked great wars, brought down empires and profoundly altered their times

There is no sign anywhere of a New Middle East. There are only intimations of more American-supported war to come, likely to involve Iran, Iraq, Syria or Lebanon -- as well as continued war, in and after 2014, in Afghanistan

Saudi Arabia's population is heavily weighted with young people. Some 64 per cent of its 19.4 million citizens are below the age of 30. A deeper dive into the data shows that 13 to 17- year-olds now make 12 per cent of the population

In some ways the Syrian civil war resembles a proxy chess match between supporters of the Bashar al-Assad regime -- Iran, Iraq, Russia and China -- and its opponents -- Turkey, the oil monarchies, the United States, Britain and France

Is an Iran with nuclear weapons acceptable or even a potential good? To answer this question, Emily Landau takes Kenneth Waltz's notorious argument that nuclear weapons may enhance security and applies it to the Middle East

Israel is in the process of watching a peace treaty unravel. I don't mean the one with Egypt, but the one with Syria. No, I'm not crazy. Since Henry Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy in 1974, the Israelis have had a de facto peace agreement of sorts with the al Assad family

After several years of mutual silence, Turkey and Israel are talking to each other again. However, this latest rapprochement owes more to US diplomatic efforts than a genuine desire by Ankara and Tel Aviv to reset diplomatic relations

The Middle East along with the larger Islamic world are the perfect demonstration of a 'world on fire'. When have we ever seen such widespread turmoil, destruction and death as we are witnessing right now?

The first year of Iraqi autonomous political rule since US troop withdrawal was, to put it delicately, complex. While some of the challenges are inherent, the issues affecting long-term stability have not been dealt with in any meaningful way

Ten years on from the US-led invasion of Iraq what are the prospects for this fractured country and can oil wealth end its misery? If one had to reflect on what lessons might be learnt from the sequence of events in Iraq one could identify three

'5 Broken Cameras' is one of five candidates for the Oscar in the Best Documentary Feature category this year. Palestinians hope this Oscar-nominated documentary depicting a non-violent struggle against Israel will succeed in telling their story

Algeria, the biggest country in Africa, played an eerily subdued role in the Arab Spring. It is only now, two years since a wave of popular uprisings spread across the Middle East and North Africa, that Algeria has become a focus of world interest

Residents of Syrian towns that have run out of heating oil say they are getting sick after resorting to burning crude oil to keep warm. The nearly two-year conflict in Syria made fuel widely unavailable

The worst type of history is that inspired by political rivalry. The Iraq story is no exception; the received wisdom is largely shaped by Democrats vilifying the legacy of George W. Bush. The result is that most of the criticism focuses on the invasion itself and its aftermath

It is more than a year since the last American troops withdrew from Iraq and America's goals in Iraq appear contradictory. Iraq seems to be fading from the US consciousness with extraordinary speed. So where does that leave the US - Iraqi relationship today?

Life in Egypt for refugees has moved from bad to worse after the revolution. Refugees and migrants are frequently the victims of unprovoked arrests and disappearances, while also struggling to feed themselves and pay rent

As Egyptians celebrated the second anniversary of former President Hosni Mubarak's ouster, protests organized by opposition groups continued against the rule of Mubarak successor Mohamed Morsi, whom some believe will meet Mubarak's fate

Don't try to find anyone to go on the record as being a Hamas member in Ramallah. While recent polls show the faction became more popular throughout the West Bank of late, Hamas members lay low to avoid arrest

Once strong and unified states on the vanguard of Arab nationalism, Iraq and Syria are on the verge of partition, fragmentation, and dismemberment. Amidst all this, the Kurds of northern Iraq may come out on top with an independent state

There is no doubt that the regime of Bashaar al-Assad is responsible for killing tens of thousands of Syrian citizens and destroying much of the country's infrastructure. But to say that is to say only part of the story

As the conflict in Syria approaches its second anniversary, the number of refugees crossing into Iraq continues to rise. Relief groups are no longer able to provide aid to Syrian families who are facing dire winter conditions

Residents of the Holy City woke up to a blanket of white as some six inches of snow fell overnight, the largest snowfall since 1992. Schools were cancelled, businesses closed and joyful children rejoiced

Over the next two years President Obama will have to make a fateful decision on whether to go to war with Iran over its nuclear programme or push the world to accept a deal that is unlikely to satisfy the Israelis

A re-elected Netanyahu will find himself face to face with a re-elected President Obama, back on their familiar sparring ground of Iran, the issue that has chilled relations over the past year. He intends Iran to be the defining issue of his premiership

From Nazi Germany to Rwanda, some of the most inhumane atrocities and genocides were committed while the rest of the world was watching. Today we are all witnessing the atrocities and mass destruction in Syria

Egypt is the largest Arab country and one that has been the traditional center of the Arab world. Equally important, if Egypt's domestic changes translate into shifts in its foreign policy, it could affect the regional balance of power for decades to come

The UN vote on Palestine was a most amazing event. Only nine of 193 nations voted against the motion. What made this so striking is that most prognosticators had guessed that, after the Gaza conflict, Palestinians would muster less sympathy

The conflict in Syria has taken tens of thousands of lives, destroyed entire neighbourhoods and sent hundreds of thousands of people fleeing. But more quietly, it has also eaten away at the country's healthcare system

It is no longer possible to accurately depict Bashar al Assad as the ruler of Syria. At this point, he is merely the head of a large and powerful armed force, albeit one that still controls a significant portion of the country

In their planning to support the Libyan revolution, Western powers appear to have neglected the impact on its sub-Saharan neighbours. This gap in thinking may reflect the institutional gulf in foreign ministries between sections focused on the Middle East and North Africa

Global governance has yet to prove its relevance to any civilization except that of the post-Enlightenment West, and one can question its relevance there. Political identity remains bound to national history -- the fundamental underpinning of sovereignty

The chameleon -- Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi -- is finally showing his true self: a Muslim Brotherhood fundamentalist who is contemptuous of the West, hates Israel and wants to turn Egypt into a fully Islamic state

What exactly is it that Israel intends to do with the Palestinians now in the territories that it has just opened for home construction for Jewish settlers, thereby extending its policy of occupying and annexing what are legally Palestinian lands?

Contemporary T-ball war works out like this: A far weaker Gaza sends a shower of missiles into Israel, hiding its launchers among civilians to ensure collateral damage and favorable propaganda during Israeli retaliation

Military gas has claimed a major place in discussion of the civil war in Syria. The Syrian government has admitted to holding major stocks of gas in or near the areas of fighting the insurrectionary movement

Egypt could well embrace the dark side and become the region's biggest force for extremism, just ahead of the Wahaabists in Saudi Arabia, though Iran with its race toward nuclear weapons poses the most immediate danger

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President Bashar Al Assad have an important thing in common: When a part of the populations under their control rise up against them, they do not negotiate or compromise

The most important facts about Iran go unstated because they are so obvious. And these facts explain how regime change or evolution in Tehran -- when, not if, it comes -- will dramatically alter geopolitics

The presidential election in Egypt, won by the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi, challenges contemporary deniers and enablers who refuse to acknowledge the threat advancing Islamism poses to Israel and the West

U.S. and Israeli officials have declared that a nuclear-armed Iran is a uniquely terrifying prospect, even an existential threat. In fact, by creating a more durable balance of military power in the Middle East, a nuclear Iran would yield more stability, not less

Debates about the possibility of containing a nuclear Iran often hinge on judgments of whether the regime there is rational. But even an arguably rational leader can be unreasonable -- and very hard to deter

The international sanctions against Iran were designed to punish the country for the continuing efforts to develop its controversial nuclear program. But it appears the sanctions are also starting to impact the daily life of average Iranians

By almost every measure, Egypt is in deep trouble: economic growth has stagnated, foreign currency reserves are down to dangerous levels, the government has a yawning budget deficit and political uncertainty remains overwhelming

The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan celebrated the election of Islamist Mohamed Morsi as president of Egypt as if he was one of their own, opening their offices across the kingdom to hand out sweets and gloat before shocked Jordanian authorities

The biggest and richest country in the Arabian peninsula is also one of its potentially unstable ones because of its aging Saudi monarchy that needs to change fast in order to face the threat of the Arab Spring

With sanctions not working, and with the Chinese, Iranians and Russians not eager to see Assad go, there is lots of talk that the United States and its allies must intervene to help the outmanned and outgunned Syrian opposition

There is a new Gulf war underway, but be careful what you call it. Google unwittingly sparked the conflict last week when it dropped the name 'Persian Gulf' from the body of water separating Iran from the Arabian Peninsula

The 40 percent drop in value of the pound over the last year should be good news for Jordanian traders, enabling them to pay less for the goods they bring across the border. But it hasn't worked that way

The Arabs' exceptionalism was becoming not just a human disaster but a moral one. Then, a frustrated Tunisian fruit vendor summoned his fellows to a new history. The third Arab awakening came in the nick of time, and it may still usher in freedom

Americans -- left, right, Democrats and Republicans -- are all sick of thankless nation-building in the Middle East. Yet democratization was not our first choice, but rather a last resort after prior failures